by Jeffrey Mcpeanne

Created on: January 23, 2008   Last Updated: October 31, 2008

If an athlete is betting on his team then he should be banned. However, a professional athlete should be allowed to bet on any sport be it his sport or another sport, but should not be allowed to bet on his/her team. It should be made clear to all professional athletes not to be on their specific team but allowed to gamble on their sport. Team sports are different because they require everyone to work as a team and to pull their own weight. Everyone must give a hundred percent. It becomes quite obvious when a player is not performing, and it is up to the coach and management to pull such player from the team.

Now individual professional sports like skiing, running, tennis, driving, golf and swimming just to name a few can be bet on by the professional. These professionals are basically playing against themselves and if they feel like they can win and want to gamble on them self it should be allowed. Yes, an athlete can bet on him/herself to lose but what is the point of that unless the athlete is making millions of dollars to lose. No one would choose or want to be associated with a losing athlete. Thus, it is a disadvantage for an athlete to keep losing. There is nothing to gain only a bad reputation. The only way athletes can throw a sport is if they are making much more than the prize money to throw the sport. Again what is the point of that if money is the only goal then there is no point in working many hours a day to lose. An athlete has to be in a desperate financial situation to lose a sport because in the end his/her reputation in on the line. Losing ones reputation is the ultimate social self degradation. A professional athlete has to think long an hard before committing such losing act. I am sure it is not taken lightly and the athlete is in a moral dilemma. If society is so concerned about athletes gambling then all athletes should be given good allowance even if they are losing athletes.

On the other hand, professional athletes are ordinary citizens to. They should be allowed to bet as they see fit. There are all types of gambling going on is society going to ban all professional athletes from all forms of gambling. The question is why there is any betting on any sport? This is wrong. Professional athletes should be allowed to gamble as long it is not on their specific team. I am sure professional athletes do bet on other sports and keep it a secret. If there is gambling then everyone who wants to gamble should.

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